Code8: Beauty on Burlington Arcade

Code8 on Burlington Arcade are purveyors of the most beautiful cosmetics, with a less-is-more approach. With winter faces needing a little extra help at this time of year, the experts at Code8 have everything needed to help you look the best version of yourself, using just a few select, hard-working products.

We are already life-long fans of the company’s Radiate Beauty Balm — a heavenly, tinted moisturiser which is so light and fresh it can be applied quickly with fingers, and built up to a lovely, glowing finish. We were excited to try their new, long-wearing, Day To Night Foundation for something with the same credentials but which works harder in terms of long-lasting coverage.

At this time of year many of us are running around town between meetings, school plays, then often straight out to a Christmas party, so we need makeup that will take us between each, without worrying about redoing a whole face when we have our hands full.

For the time poor, this new, medium coverage, buildable foundation lasts an impressive 12 hours, yet doesn’t look heavy, and works both day and evening thanks to its soft-focus demi-matte finish. The ease of the applicator wand means it can be applied quickly — in the back of a taxi if needs must — and just to the areas that need it. It works under eyes to disguise tell-tale dark circles, and also to calm redness. Touch up where you need, or use it all over — the jack of all trades foundation.

When you go to the boutique the Code8 Makeup Artists will try a few shades of the Day To Night Foundation to get the right tone. There are 15 options meaning the perfect shade for you will certainly be amongst them. They might choose something deeper to warm up the complexion, or spot on to unify tones. The luxurious product contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to ensure a radiant, velvety finish. It goes on seamlessly, and is almost undetectable, yet lasts all day — surely the holy grail when it comes to foundation?

Finish your look from the in house products which you will also become addicted to. A finely-milled blush, a perfect highlighter for added glow, and then why not add a smokey eye to be ready for an evening ahead? Their Iconoclast eye palettes house beautiful pigments, and with the chicest packaging would make an excellent gift.

For the person who has everything:

Code8 offers a bespoke lipstick service, where clients create a colour that’s totally unique to them alongside the makeup artists on hand. Their experts look at colourings, discuss current favourites, and craft a lipstick there and then, mixing up colours together and creating a miniature laboratory — mesmerising. The clever end result will transform a client’s eyes from sludge to vibrant, bring out hair colours and enhance skin and teeth, too — the power of the perfect lipstick should never be underestimated.